How To Become A Bodyguard

We’re often asked: ‘How to be a bodyguard?’ First and foremost, why do you want to be a bodyguard? It’s not a quick and easy career path, there are many considerations to make before stepping onto the path to becoming a Bodyguard – also, widely known in the UK as a Close Protection Officer/Operative – CPO for short.

Being a Bodyguard is not for everyone, it requires specific traits and skill sets. If you believe you have what it takes to be a Bodyguard, simply because you’ve watched a couple of movies – you want to live the high-life or brush shoulders with celebrities; then stop right now and go back to the drawing board. Close protection is much more about intelligence and planning than muscles and guns!

So, what does it take to be a bodyguard?

Patience, punctuality, integrity, selflessness, commitment, discretion, the ability to remain alert for long periods of time and inactivity, thinking on your feet, and of course – personal fitness. All these attributes are required before you even consider any “Bodyguard” training course, more commonly referred to as a ‘close protection course’.

Patience – There are many hours spent waiting around for the Principal (The VIP/Boss) to move, leave the house, finish a meeting, leave a social event – to name but a few. All of which at some point you’ll be required to be static for a considerable amount of time. Waiting around, sometimes in a featureless silent corridor of a 5* Hotel for example; for hours on end with very little notice, if any, to move or information on timings to depart.

Punctuality – If you’re the type of person that’s always late no matter how many times you set your alarm, or how hard you try – being a bodyguard is not for you! Poor punctuality not only delays the Principal and their business or plans, but delays and reflects badly on the rest of the team, showing everyone that you lack self-discipline.

Integrity – You will be in a position of trust, often with the Principal’s valuable belongings or even family members. No matter how tempting it is to take a ‘selfie’ with the Principal’s supercar / private jet, take a dip in the swimming pool, or ‘check-in’ on social media at a posh hotel or restaurant, it’s a big no, no.

Selflessness – You will be expected to work long hours often with little sleep and not very much food, often putting the Principal’s needs before your own, and sometimes before your own families’. Unfortunately, missing your partner or child’s birthday is par for the course.

And as strange as it may seem; you will be required at some point in your career, to put yourself in harm’s way to prevent your Principal from getting injured or worse – after all; by definition – you are being paid to protect the Principal and their family. Bodyguard – ‘a person or group of people whose job it is to protect someone from attack’:

Commitment – Your commitment to your Principal and employers; be it a security company or the Principal themselves. Your commitment will be required on a personal level too, such as your personal fitness and abilities. And a commitment to continue learning within the industry, CPD (continuing professional development). If you cannot swim how can you save someone’s life? if you cannot drive how can you drive in an emergency? Very basic requirements but we have over the years come across “Bodyguards” whom could not swim or could not drive!

Discretion – You may be put into compromising situations by your Boss that will need to be dealt with – with total discretion. Keeping yourself and your Principal out of the limelight or away from any bad press, goes hand in hand with being a Bodyguard – no matter what industry, culture or background your Principal is from.

Personal fitness – This topic goes hand in hand with commitment, it is down to you to keep your fitness up; again if you are unfit how can you possibly take care of someone else? High levels of fitness will help you stay alert and responsive, and enable you to work longer hours before suffering fatigue. A discipline in a combative / defensive or unarmed combat skill is essential for working as a bodyguard, after all – how else will you protect your Principal?

Working long hours will make it difficult to maintain your fitness but it must and should be part of your daily routine. Unfortunately, this is where bodybuilders struggle within the industry; the need to spend hours in the gym every day, and the need to eat every couple of hours, just does not work within the industry.

Still think you have what it takes to be a Bodyguard?

Bodyguards, or Close Protection Operatives can come from all backgrounds and walks of life, the common misconception is that you must be from a military or policing background – this is simply not the case. Some of the best bodyguards we have had the pleasure of employing have been civilians, some of the worst have been ex-military! There are good and bad from both walks of life; you can only ride the coattails of your past police or military service once you become successful in your own right! It’s the above attributes that ‘Maketh the Man’.

It’s true that most bodyguards will have a military or police background, but this does not instantly make them suitable for the close protection industry. There are only a handful of regiments that have a close protection connection within their duties, that still doesn’t mean that an individual is suited to a certain Principal or environment.

The foundations of close protection most certainly comes from, and will almost always be based around military tactics and thinking. The ability to think on your feet and operate without instruction is as important as following instructions. That said, there are environments such as hostile environments (Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria etc.) that are more suited to ex-military, this should be considered when choosing the right close protection course; hostile and corporate close protection are very different – make sure you pick a course that suits you and your desired career path.

Close Protection Courses / Bodyguard Training

There are thousands of training courses available around the world, and hundreds throughout the UK. Ultimately, it will be down to your goals, budget, personal preference and research which will help you choose a suitable course.

If you’re looking to work in the UK security industry, you will require a licence which is issued by the Security Industry Authority (SIA). The SIA is the industry regulatory body responsible for personal licensing and private security regulations. The SIA licence is only valid in the UK, you must be at least 18 years of age to obtain one, but many security companies require a minimum age of 25 for the reasons of insurance, and experience.

In France you will require a CNAPS licence, in Spain you will require ‘Titulo de Escolta Privado’. Similarly in most countries, there is some form of licensing and minimum training requirement.

The close protection course that you choose should be accredited with a Level 3 qualification, which will enable you to apply for your licence on completion of your course. Your licence (once granted) will enable you to work legally as a bodyguard in the UK.

On completion of your chosen close protection course, you are not legally allowed to work until you have received your Close Protection licence from the SIA (unless issued with an LDN by an SIA Approved Contractor). Vetting and licensing by the SIA unfortunately takes a long time, in some instances several months or more before you receive your licence. So, don’t go quitting your day job just yet!

Ultimately, the course you should be looking to attend should consist of/or offer the following, but not limited to:

Roles and Responsibilities of a Bodyguard.

Searching and search techniques.

Vehicle movements & vehicle tactics.

Foot / walking drills.

Interpersonal skills.

Operational planning.

Route selection & planning.

Threat assessment & risk management.

Reconnaissance.

Venue security & operations.

Law and legislation.

Surveillance & Surveillance awareness.

Conflict management.

Etiquette.

First aid qualification.

You should consider courses that are residential, thus giving you as many learning hours as possible. Most of the residential courses offer a more realistic insight into the hours and dedication required when you’re eventually operating as a Bodyguard / Close Protection Operative. Don’t pick a course purely because it’s local and convenient or cheap, and avoid courses that claim to have a 100% pass rate – this is not a good statistic. It generally means they are pushing students through and passing them no matter what standard the candidate is, would you want them watching your back?

Choose a reputable training provider that is well known with honest reviews from previous students – but remember, they will only have done one course so nothing to compare it to. Ask to go along and view a course that is running and research as much as possible, ask to meet the instructors; what are their backgrounds? Are the instructors still actively working on the ‘Close Protection Circuit’? This will indicate if their knowledge is still current or out dated. Do they provide post-course support? The instructors may claim to be ex special forces, but do they have the experience within your chosen environment? (Corporate / Hostile).

Look in to more than one course, and don’t be swayed by a jazzy website, promotional videos / flyers, discounts and promises of guaranteed work upon completion – this simply will not happen.

Generally, the more expensive and longer a course is; the better – but that’s not a given.

Upon successful completion of your minimum 140 guided learning hours, passing your SIA exam and eventually receiving your close protection licence; be aware that this is only the beginning. Like passing your driving test – there’s still a lot to learn, and finding work with no experience will not happen overnight. Don’t go around boasting about being a bodyguard just yet (or ever!) the hard part lies ahead.

Courses that offer you work once you have passed are generally untrue, you will be put on their database of potential employees, but no-one can guarantee you work on completion of your chosen Close Protection course. There are circa 15,000 SIA licensed CPO’s in the UK, 95% of whom are thought to be self-employed, all fighting for the scraps of work that are advertised. The vast majority of work is shared between friends, trusted colleagues and close networks.

Most close protection work in the UK is concentrated in and around London; where do you live? – living several hours from London will put you at a distinct disadvantage. Do you have any accommodation in London? – most jobs these days do not include accommodation, and it’s not cheap living in the Capital. Do you have any knowledge of London? If not, you need to learn quick. Most Principal’s will ask you for recommendations; where the nearest pharmacy or coffee shop is, and London is a big place. Do you have enough money to support yourself during the job, and for the 30 days proceeding – that it generally takes to get paid? And during the quiet periods? It’s a seasonal feast and famine industry that is very cut-throat. The security industry is flooded, with the next person or company willing to do it cheaper than the last. You really need to consider these points before investing your hard earned money and time into a course, which may yield zero return!

You need to consider and understand that you’ll be starting at the bottom of the ladder, you will need to gain experience, the trust of colleagues and companies before the work offers start coming in. Don’t be a ‘job-snob’, turn up for last minute retail, doors and event security work – prove yourself, build your own professional network and reputation, because nothing will get handed to you on a plate.

Becoming a bodyguard is not easy by any stretch of the imagination, it’s not a case of 140 hours guided learning and you’re magically a bodyguard. Being a bodyguard is not just a career choice, it’s a life choice. To become a bodyguard you need to live, breath and become fully immersed in it. Once you’ve mastered it, then you can call yourself a bodyguard.

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7 Comments

Absolutely the best information I have found online to date! You call the training providers and they paint this rosy picture of how many hundreds of pounds you can earn a day, and all the travel, nice restaurants and hotels you get to stay at. But they fail to disclose about 99% of what you wrote, a full and frank informative article on close protection – you guys clearly know your stuff! Thank you so much, I’ll save myself £2500 now and a world of hurt. Beers on me!

Very detailed guide and simply perfect. The steps you’re mentioning are very good especially commitment and personal fitness because without focusing our self-perfect and committed, we can’t achieve our goal. Keep up doing the good work and keep sharing informative stuff.
Best Regards

I found your website whilst searching ‘female bodyguards in London’ on Google, I wanted to get into the industry and found this article the best most honest opinion on the internet! Every course provider I’ve spoken to either gives you the hard-sell or boasts about earning £300+ per day. After reading your article and speaking with female CPO’s online, you speak the absolute truth! It’s a shame the close protection training course providers can’t be as honest. Anyway, enough ranting. I returned to repay my gratitude for your honesty and integrity – THANK YOU x